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SNAP to see largest, permanent benefit increase
benefits as they will be issued directly on their EBT cards. More information about emergency allotments is available at www.oregon.gov/dhs/ ASSISTANCE/FOOD-BENEFITS/Pages/About-SNAP.aspx. Questions about your SNAP benefits should be directed to the ONE Customer Service Center at 1-800-6999075.
Originally published in The Chronicle Vol. 139 August 25, 2021 JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net
Snap history Fast Fact From January 2020 to January 2021, the number of people receiving SNAP in Columbia County increased by more than 1,500 people, a 21% increase.
This fall, individuals and families in Columbia County, across Oregon and the nation who depend on food stamp assistance will see what the Biden Administration calls a significant and permanent increase in benefits. It is reportedly the largest single increase in the food stamp system’s history, which now operates as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Impact in Oregon Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) Press Secretary Jake Sunderland said The Biden Administration made the announcement Monday, Aug. 16, and his department is still analyzing the changes and what they will mean to SNAP in Oregon. “According to federal government, this change will increase SNAP benefits distributed in Oregon by $337 million,” Sunderland said. “For SNAP households this change on average will be about $36 more in money to buy food per person – or about $1.20 per day.” The change in benefits takes effect Oct. 1. Currently, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most SNAP households are temporarily receiving the maximum benefit amount for their household size, according to Sunderland. “These are called emergency allotments and we have been providing these emergency allotments since March 2020,” he said.
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This change will increase SNAP benefits distributed in Oregon by $337 million. For SNAP households this change on average will be about $36 more in money to buy food per person.
SNAP benefit amounts vary depending on household size, income and other factors. SNAP benefits range from $0 a month (while receiving other services like employment and training services) to the maximum benefit amount for the household size. The need Sunderland said COVID-19 has had an incredible impact on Oregon’s economy and hunger and food insecurity in Oregon, citing an OSU study from December 2020 that estimates the rates of hunger and food insecurity more than doubled in 2020 and that there are about 1 million Oregonians experiencing hunger and food insecurity. From January 2020 to January 2021, the number of people receiving SNAP in Columbia County increased by more than 1,500 people, a 21% increase. The current and new maxi-
mum amounts are in the table attached. Households whose income is 185% of the federal poverty level or less qualify for SNAP benefits. “This means that a family of 4 making $49,000 a year is eligible for SNAP,” Sunderland said. “This is surprising for a lot of people. You can have a parent earning $23 an hour, while the other stays home with their two kids to save on daycare, and still struggle with hunger and food insecurity.” September emergency allotments Most Oregonians who receive SNAP benefits will receive emergency allotments in September. The federal government has approved emergency allotments every month since March 2020. This gives SNAP recipients additional support during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In September, approximately 402,000 SNAP households will receive approximately $65 million in extra food benefits in addition to their regular SNAP benefits. “We are grateful to have the opportunity to provide emergency benefits to most SNAP households in Oregon,” Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) Self-Sufficiency Program Director Dan Haun said. “We also know that many Oregonians are still struggling to meet their basic needs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and we encourage them to contact our partners at 211 and the Oregon Food Bank for support during this difficult time.” Emergency allotments will be available on Sept. 11 for current SNAP households. New SNAP households will receive the emergency allotments Sept. 30 or Oct. 2. SNAP recipients do not have to take any action to receive these supplemental
SNAP provides nutritional assistance benefits to children and families, the elderly, the disabled, unemployed and working families. SNAP helps supplement monthly food budgets of families with low-income to buy the food they need to maintain good health and allow them to direct more of their available income toward essential living expenses. ODHS staff determines the eligibility of applicants based on guidelines established by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). The primary goals of the program are to alleviate hunger and malnutrition and to improve nutrition and health in eligible households. Questions about your SNAP benefits should be directed to local ODHS offices or by calling the ONE Customer Service Center at 1-800699-9075. You can look up your local offices number at: www.oregon.gov/dhs/Offices/ Pages/Self-Sufficiency.aspx If you need help, here are important resources: • You can apply online for food, cash and medical help at: ONE.Oregon.gov • Find a food pantry: foodfinder.oregonfoodbank.org • Learn about government programs and community resources for older adults and people with disabilities: Aging and Disability Resource Connection of Oregon at 1-855673-2372 or www.adrcoforegon.org • Dial 2-1-1, or text your zip code to 898-211, www.211info.org For help with resources in your community
Local museum move slow, but sure to build on our property, and we can move forward with our plans to build our new museum. Our timeline to finish our building will be determined by the estimated cost, after an architect draws up plans for our building.
Originally published in The Chief Vol. 130 August 27, 2021 JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net
There are new details emerging concerning the Rainier Oregon Historical Museum’s efforts to build at the new site across from the Rainier Senior Center. The museum is currently housed in a room at the Rainier City Hall. Local businessman Steve Oliva donated a small parcel of land along West A Street across from the Rainier Senior Center for the new museum building and ground was cleared at the site last fall. Since than museum officials have been going through the required permitting process and raising the needed finances for the move. The Chief has reached out to Rainier Oregon Historical Museum President Kay Heflin and the museum board with the following questions. The Chief: We understand that your group has been challenged with the
The Chief: Why is this new facility needed now and what is your vision that the new building will offer the community?
Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chief
Rainier Mayor Jerry Cole takes a photo in late October 2020 as Rainier Oregon Historical Museum President Kay Heflin and museum vice president Duane Bernard hold a sign marking the site of the new museum headquarters on West A Street.
permitting process and gaining the needed finances for development of the new museum location. Could you bring us up to date about the status of the project? Building Bridges to Self Sufficiency
Community Action Team
Kay Heflin: City Administrator, Scott Jorgenson, has assured us that the planning commission is looking at updating their requirements about not being able to build a metal building where our new museum will be built. Our museum board has been looking at building a Barndominium that is a partial steel building with accents of rock, and designed to fit in with the current design of homes that are near our property on West A St.
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The Chief: We also understand that your group has an opportunity for a matching grant to help cover the cost of the project, could you explain that and tell us what is the current estimated cost of the new building project?
Call CAT at (503)397-3511 to find out if you qualify. Rental and energy assistance applications are available at 125 N. 17th St., St. Helens, OR. Also available on our website at www.CAT-TEAM.org
Heflin: To date, our museum has raised $75,500 for our building fund. Once we
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raise $100,000, an anonymous donor will match our $100,000. We are asking anyone interested in preserving the history of Rainier and its surrounding communities to donate to the Rainier Oregon Historical Museum building fund, by sending a donation to ROHM, PO Box 762, Rainier, Oregon 97048. Write on your check, or attach a note, that your donation is for the museum building fund. We only have just under $25,000 to raise to receive the $100,000 matching donation, then we can start by hiring an architect and create our building blueprints. We won’t know an estimated cost until we have blue prints drawn up and know the dimensions of the building we are wanting to build. We estimate that it will take $500,00 to $700,000 to complete our museum.
The Chief: What is your timeline to move forward and complete the new building? Heflin: It is hard to estimate a timeline for completing our new building. It will all depend on our fundraising. By the end of the month, Jason Schmidt will take out the last two stumps and finish leveling our property. We are so grateful to Jason who has donated his time to clear the brush and trees from our property. Our museum highly recommends Jason Schmidt, JR Trucking, of Deer Island, for any land work or hauling that you need done. Once we raise $100,000 and receive the $100,000 matching donation, then we can move forward and cut the curb for an entry way and install sidewalks as required
Heflin: We are outgrowing the room that we have at city hall. There is no room for any more display cases. We have four additional display cases in the hallways of city hall. We can’t accept any large items. We have no room to display them. We have been offered a roll top desk that was used by one of the first postmasters in Rainier. A piano from the First Congregational Church, which was Rainier’s first church in Rainier, has been donated to us and is being stored elsewhere. One of Rainier’s first fire trucks will be donated to the museum if we have a heated room to keep it in. The fire truck will be highlighted in our museum. We hope it will attract school children to our museum. We also have logging items that are promised to us if we get a larger museum. Our new museum will offer a meeting room to be used by the public. We will offer more events and learning opportunities in sharing historical research and the history of Rainier and surrounding communities that will interest school classes and the general public. Follow this developing story at thechiefnews.com and in the Friday print editions of The Chief.